Software Alternatives & Startups

Lantern VS Opalstack

Compare Lantern VS Opalstack and see what are their differences

Lantern

Lantern delivers fast, reliable and secure access to the open internet. Download Lantern for free access to blocked videos, news, social media and more. Available for Windows, Android, Mac, Ubuntu.

Lantern Landing page
Rating
0 reviews
Pricing
Open source
Opalstack

Managed Hosting for developers, entrepreneurs, and businesses like yours

Opalstack Landing page
Rating
0 reviews
Note: These products don't have any matching categories. If you think this is a mistake, please edit the details of one of the products and suggest appropriate categories.

Which is more popular?

Based on our record, Lantern seems to be more popular. It has been mentioned 4 times since March 2021.

social mentions
4 vs 0
VPN popularity
100% vs 0%

Base details

Website, pricing, platforms and company facts side by side.

Lantern
Opalstack
Website getlantern.org opalstack.com
Pricing
Open source
Listed in

Features and specs

What each product offers, as listed by its team.

Lantern 5 features
Opalstack 5 features
  • Speed
    Lantern uses advanced techniques to find the fastest possible routes to deliver content, which can result in quicker access and data retrieval compared to other anti-censorship tools.
  • User-Friendly
    Lantern offers a straightforward, easy-to-use interface that even non-tech-savvy users can navigate with minimal guidance.
  • Automatic Censorship Detection
    Lantern can automatically detect when content is blocked and redirect users to an accessible source, providing seamless browsing without interruptions.
  • Cross-Platform
    Available for multiple operating systems including Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS, allowing users to access censored content across devices.
  • Freemium Model
    Offers a free version with basic functionalities, making it accessible to users who cannot afford to pay for anti-censorship tools.

Possible disadvantages

  • Privacy Concerns
    Lantern is not a VPN and does not encrypt all internet traffic, which might expose users to privacy risks and surveillance.
  • Limited Data for Free Users
    The free version of Lantern has data limitations, which can be restrictive for users who require extensive use.
  • Potential Network Instability
    Depending on network conditions and server load, users may experience varying levels of connectivity and reliability.
  • Subscription Costs
    While the basic version is free, advanced features require a subscription, which may not be affordable for all users.
  • Not Fully Open Source
    Lantern's core is open source, but some components are proprietary, which can be a concern for users who prioritize complete transparency.
  • Developer-Friendly Hosting
    Opalstack is designed with developers in mind, offering SSH access, Git integration, and support for multiple programming languages and frameworks including Python, Node.js, Ruby, and PHP, giving developers granular control over their hosting environment.
  • Affordable Pricing
    Opalstack offers competitive pricing for shared and managed hosting plans, making it an accessible option for small businesses, freelancers, and individual developers who need robust features without enterprise-level costs.
  • Modern Control Panel
    Opalstack provides a clean, modern, and intuitive web-based dashboard for managing sites, applications, databases, and email accounts, which is a significant improvement over older-style hosting control panels like cPanel.
  • Strong Support for Multiple Applications
    The platform supports a wide variety of application types including WordPress, Django, Flask, Express, static sites, and more, allowing users to host diverse projects on a single account with easy deployment.
  • Reliable Infrastructure and Support
    Opalstack is built by former WebFaction team members, bringing experienced hosting expertise. They offer responsive customer support and a reputation for stable, well-managed server infrastructure with good uptime.

Possible disadvantages

  • Smaller Community and Ecosystem
    Compared to major hosting providers like DigitalOcean, AWS, or even shared hosts like SiteGround, Opalstack has a smaller user base, which means fewer community tutorials, third-party guides, and forum discussions available for troubleshooting.
  • Limited Scalability Options
    Opalstack is primarily a shared hosting provider, which means it may not be the best choice for high-traffic applications or projects that require rapid, on-demand scaling of resources like CPU, RAM, or storage.
  • Not Ideal for Beginners
    While developer-friendly, Opalstack's approach can be intimidating for non-technical users. Setting up applications often requires familiarity with the command line and server configuration, which may not suit those looking for simple one-click solutions.
  • Limited Data Center Locations
    Opalstack offers a relatively small number of data center locations compared to major cloud providers, which may result in higher latency for users targeting audiences in regions not well-served by the available server locations.
  • Fewer Managed Services and Add-ons
    Unlike larger hosting platforms, Opalstack lacks a wide range of managed add-on services such as built-in CDN integration, managed backups with granular restore options, or one-click SSL management that more mainstream providers offer out of the box.

Analysis

An editorial look at what each product does well and who it suits.

Lantern
Opalstack

No analysis of Lantern yet.

Overall verdict

  • Opalstack is a solid choice for developers and tech-savvy users seeking an affordable, flexible control panel hosting solution with good performance and transparent pricing, though it may require more technical know-how than mainstream cPanel hosts.

Why this product is good

  • Uses a custom lightweight control panel that's fast and efficient compared to resource-heavy alternatives like cPanel
  • Offers straightforward, transparent pricing without hidden fees or aggressive upselling
  • Provides SSD storage and solid server performance for the price point
  • Supports multiple app types including Python, Node.js, and various frameworks beyond typical PHP hosting
  • Founded by the original creators of WebFaction, bringing significant hosting industry experience
  • Good for running multiple websites/apps under one account with granular resource control
  • Responsive customer support with a knowledgeable team
  • No long-term contracts required, allowing flexibility

Recommended for

  • Developers who need support for Python, Node.js, or other non-PHP applications
  • Users comfortable with a more technical, non-cPanel control panel interface
  • Small businesses or freelancers hosting multiple websites who want granular control
  • Former WebFaction users looking for a similar service after its shutdown
  • Budget-conscious users who want VPS-like flexibility without full server management
  • Users who prioritize transparent pricing over bundled marketing extras

Videos

Walkthroughs and reviews on video.

Lantern 3 videos + Add
Opalstack 0 videos + Add

REI Co-op Gear Guide: Best Camping Lanterns

More videos

  • Review - Lantern Reviews - Coast vs. Ozark vs. LifeGear
  • Review - Hurricane Lantern Review- The Feuerhand 276

No Opalstack videos yet. You could help us improve this page by suggesting one.

Category popularity

How often each product is chosen within a category, 0–100% relative to the other.

Score bands 0–20 21–40 41–50 51–60 61–100
Lantern
Opalstack
100% 100%
VPN
0% 0%
0% 0%
100% 100%
100% 100%
0% 0%
0% 0%
100% 100%

User comments

Share your experience with using Lantern and Opalstack. For example, how are they different and which one is better?

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Reviews and articles

External articles and on-site reviews we used to compare the two products.

Lantern no reviews yet
Opalstack no reviews yet

We have no reviews of Opalstack yet. Be the first one to post

Social recommendations and mentions

Recommendations tracked on public social media and blogs since March 2021.

Lantern 4 mentions
Opalstack 0 mentions
  • For some reason, the recommended vpns on this sub (mullvad, IVPN, etc) are all banned in my country. Any good alternatives?
    I still think it's quite odd you can't access the website even with different DNS and Tor. You can also try something like https://getlantern.org/ but sure, feel free to check other VPNs like AirVPN and OVPN. Source: almost 4 years ago
  • VPN for China
    Lantern - https://getlantern.org/ (different technology compared to VPNs, therefore sometimes works when VPNs don't work). Source: almost 4 years ago
  • Secure Internet Access
    For those of you who may need secure internet access - https://getlantern.org. Source: over 4 years ago

View more

Tracking Opalstack since Sep 2023.

Alternatives to Lantern and Opalstack

When comparing Lantern and Opalstack, you can also consider the following products.